Haley: Put $100 Million in New Revenue Toward Infrastructure

At a press conference with state and industry officials on Thursday afternoon, Gov. Nikki Haley called on the Legislature to invest $100 million into South Carolina's infrastructure.

On Friday, the Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) will announce that revenues collected to date have been revised upward to nearly $100 million.

Haley believes that money should go toward improving the state's ailing roads and bridges. "This is a way to invest in the state and the citizens of South Carolina without having to raise one single penny in taxes," Haley said. "I don't want this money to go to a museum or a park that does not get us jobs. I want this money drop to go to the 421 bridges in the state that are ready to fall down."

In her . Previously, she has resisted raising the gas tax as a means to fund repairs to structures throughout the state. She stood by that on Thursday. "We can reduce taxes and do infrastructure. It's not an either-or proposition."

The governor said that investing in infratructure is critical to the state's financial stability and to its safety. "I don't want us to be on the national news because a bridge fell while a school bus was on it or because we have the worst roads in the country."

Keep up with all of Patch's coverage of South Carolina politics by following us on Facebook HERE and Twitter HERE.